1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a key board adapted for use in appliances such as computers or related terminals, etc., and more particularly, to a multipurpose optical intelligent key board apparatus affording the user a variety of key inputs.
2. Description of the Related Art
A general key board is called an "input device" and when adapted to an electronic appliance, it is arranged to have a predetermined number of keys, each associated with a corresponding function. In other words, a key board used in an appliance such as a computer or related terminal is commonly supplied with keys bearing English characters. In many foreign countries, each English character on a specific key is accompanied by a corresponding character in the mother country tongue, whereby the two different characters are printed or moulded in a predetermined arrangement to be harmonized with the corresponding literary syntax system. Furthermore, because the literary syntax systems in each of the European Alphabetic countries have a greater range of characters and vowel possibilities than the English language, the key boards in each corresponding country force the positions of the keys produced in a new key board pattern. Typical characters used include those used in the German, French, Spanish languages.
During the 1980s, various computer software programs became standardized by using personal computers compatible with IBM-PCs which utilize "MS-DOS" software. To keep up with these developments, a computer key board is provided with ten or twelve keys having different purposes of use, called "function keys", which serve functions according to the software to be used. These "function keys", along with "ALT, CTRL, SHIFT and other Keys" are supported by various command words associated with their combination according to the software programming. However, it is inevitable to issue different command words corresponding to the programming of each software program because of the characteristics of the software. Nevertheless, standardization for the use of these keys has been impossible till now. Therefore, computer users are required to study the operating manual and ask the computer for help by pressing the function key F1 or a HELP key. Also, it takes a long time to become familiar with the corresponding program, and the use of new software requires learning its procedures. Most programming corresponding to the software to be used is utilized only on the basis of several command words being well known to the user, and the efficiency of use of the software is thereby reduced.
One part of most applied software programs divides a particular portion of a terminal screen, or it supports the user facility based on the window concept. However, these functions occupy part of the memory area independent of the predetermined memory region for starting the main program to be used. Therefore, it limits the operating capacity of a computer and thereby deteriorates the operating efficiency.
Software such as "AUTOCAD" is configured to use two screens, one of which becomes exclusively a command word space and the other of which forms the working space. This multi-screen system causes inconvenience, it is non-economic, and it is inefficient for the user. Touch screens or Liquid Crystal Touch screens have been developed as alternatives for resolving these problems, but these methods have disadvantages in respect of the user's degree of acquaintance with them and errors in operation caused by careless mistakes.
Considering these points, the main object of the present invention is to provide a multipurpose optical intelligent key board apparatus for performing the optical supporting operation with respect to all programming of software.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a multipurpose optical intelligent key board apparatus for supporting any language, in addition to a mother native tongue, to be used with respect to all keys on a key board.
Also, another object of the present invention is to provide a multipurpose optical intelligent key board apparatus for enabling all keys on the key board to represent the software command words, thereby functioning as a command word interface.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a multipurpose optical intelligent key board apparatus for supporting the software of a key board itself, in which the arrangement of the key board can be changed to permit all the keys to show computers command words which correspond to the software programming to be used.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a multipurpose optical intelligent key board apparatus which allows the operation of all keys on the key board as function keys and the operation of corresponding command word keys for the control of a particular electronic appliance.